mistranslation
noun
mis·trans·la·tion
ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən 
-tranz-
plural mistranslations
: a mistake in translating : an incorrect translation
… suffers from a number of repetitive mistranslations that leave readers with a misleading understanding …—
Lynn Ginsburg et al.
Lynn Ginsburg et al.
Examples of mistranslation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cole’s butchered Anglophone pronunciation of Spanish gives the songs an odd, unforgettable poignancy: love as a mistranslation.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
Misinformation can also arise from mistranslations.
—Christine Fernando, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
Over the past 2,000 years, Buddhist teachings have encountered distortions and alterations due to mistranslation and misinterpretation of Buddha-dharma by Buddhist patriarchs, eminent monastics, and Buddhist scholars.
—Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
Khalsa’s theory, essentially, is that eating disorders involve, among other things, a cycle of interoceptive mistranslation.
—Jessica Wapner, The New Yorker, 6 July 2023
In addition, deliberate mistranslations of someone’s words or the use of selective quotes can completely change the meaning of what was said.
—Hossein Derakhshan, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2023
There’s a typo here, a mistranslation there.
—Aviva Engel, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022
The motion chalks that mistake up to a mistranslation of an article written in Bosnian.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2023
Was the belief in the virgin birth based on a mistranslation?
—Rodolfo Galvan Estrada Iii, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2022
See More
Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
Misinformation can also arise from mistranslations.
—Christine Fernando, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
Over the past 2,000 years, Buddhist teachings have encountered distortions and alterations due to mistranslation and misinterpretation of Buddha-dharma by Buddhist patriarchs, eminent monastics, and Buddhist scholars.
—Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
Khalsa’s theory, essentially, is that eating disorders involve, among other things, a cycle of interoceptive mistranslation.
—Jessica Wapner, The New Yorker, 6 July 2023
In addition, deliberate mistranslations of someone’s words or the use of selective quotes can completely change the meaning of what was said.
—Hossein Derakhshan, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2023
There’s a typo here, a mistranslation there.
—Aviva Engel, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022
The motion chalks that mistake up to a mistranslation of an article written in Bosnian.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2023
Was the belief in the virgin birth based on a mistranslation?
—Rodolfo Galvan Estrada Iii, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mistranslation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1651, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near mistranslation
Cite this Entry
“Mistranslation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistranslation. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
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